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Royal Contender
The Looming Shadow "Eh?" A young girl with short, raven hair, clipped to the side of her head by what appeared to be bone, had been relaxing in the outside quarters of her barracks when a brown haired man approached her. "A Lieutenant's meeting, Kyūzō?" The girl, Kirei Usuikikan of the 5th Division, looked up at her comrade in confusion. "I'm about as confused as you are, really." Kyūzō Hashidojin of the 9th Division scratched the back of his head. "I suppose we'd better get our Lieutenant's badges on as well." "Those things?" Kirei stood up, dusting herself off. "Didn't they go out of fashion 50 years ago?" "Protocol and all that." Kyūzō waved it off. "I'll go on ahead, you catch up." "Alright!" The girl called back, rushing into her quarters and pulling on a wooden badge with her division designation on it. "A Lieutenant's meeting now?" She thought to herself, rushing out as she slung her Zanpakutō onto her waist. She was aware martial law had been declared — Shinigami were permitted to carry and use their Zanpakutō within the Seireitei. "Where's the Captain?" She thought as she raced down the halls. "Was he called in as well? How much have things escalated in the past few days!?" It didn't take the girl long to reach the meeting room, where she was greeted by the grim expressions of her colleagues. "Sorry I'm late..." She panted, breathing heavily. "Kyūzō...just told me...!" A young girl with long, flowing blonde hair interrupted her. "What did he tell you? Are we not in war against these tresspassers? We need to hurry out and take them down." While she looked cute, Miyuki certainly was...vicious. "Isn't that what this meeting is about?! How exactly we're going to bust their heads in?" Another blonde girl, about the same height as Miyuki, but without any of the elegance, snapped angrily. This was Hiyori Sarugaki, and she was as energetic as her surname suggested. "That is correct, but another pressing matter is exactly what the Ryōka are doing..." Ise Yoshimichi hung her head. "Machishi Konikari and Harutō Mukagami of the Eleventh Division were struck down by the Ryōka two days ago." "That's a good point." Miyuki was wondering- but trusting her instincts, she kinda thought that they were up to no good. "This may be the very first time in a few centuries that our order has been truly under threat...." Though worried, she wished to eliminate them as hastily as possible. A young man with parted, dark black hair clicked his tongue impatiently. "And so we're all going to squander our time here, in this meeting?" His voice, though quiet, had an edge of impatience to it. It was obvious that, despite trying to appear calm, the boy would much rather be out fighting than in here talking. "Is there even a point to this?" A tall, muscular man with sharp features, short light-gray hair and brown eyes approached; this was Eishabu Tatsuneji, the Lieutenant of the 13th Division. He answered in a serious tone, "A job's a job. What we have to do, no matter how we feel about it, is something that's necessary. There's no use in complaining." A woman with bright red hair sighed, fixing her glasses which were slipping down the bridge of her nose. "Job or otherwise, we can't simply charge in after the Ryōka without express orders from our Captains. Even you, Toyotomi, would be reprimanded for simply running off without prior notification." "Those are the words of someone who is afraid to take action, Sugeibi." Toyotomi replied sharply. "I refuse to just stand idly by. Whether it's justice or evil, those who make their voices heard are always the ones with power." "Then we'll ask, simple as that. I'm sure...Captain Kaori -especially Captain Kaori- will understand." Eishabu shrugged; he knew that she was the most bloodthirsty of them all- even if she was no Kenpachi. "Our Captains most likely at their own meetings." Kirei said, frowning. "The Head Captain most likely has his own orders for them, given the light of the situation." Miyuki was taking her time to wrap her head around the politics of the Gotei 13. She didn't see why they couldn't just go out on their own -like every other military sect these days. "...I never understood those meeting things. I mean, debates will simply go nowhere." "It's just the way things are run." Sugeibi replied, sighing. "War decisions are handled by our Captains, they have to be in some semblance of agreement before we can take any action." "But I'' don't." Toyotomi replied, his calm tone edgy. "I don't know about you lot, but I am taking things into my own hands — ''now." And with that, the man slipped from the meeting and out the door, vanishing with a quick Shunpo. "Well, we'll see how this goes." Eishabu sighed; and by this point, it was extremely obvious that the Gotei, in any shape or form, was unable to work together properly. Just like the governments in the Human World. "Let's all just return to our barracks for now." Sugeibi suggested. "Our Captains will notify us if we're needed, it wouldn't do to act like Toyotomi and go off on our own." Kirei nodded in agreement. "I know it's a bit hard to bide our time, but we don't have a choice." "Let's just see where little Toyotomi gets us, huh?" Miyuki flexed her hands momentarily- though she was not one for combat, it was obvious that she did enjoy watching others battle- even if her job did not require it. "Toyotomi..." Kirei sighed in worry, looking at the door through which he'd left. "Don't do something stupid..." Shade of the Decaying Tree "How is the gut wound?" Myōbu bent down, inspecting Ahatake's torso. "Hmmm...the wound seems to have sealed itself well." She stood up, straightening her glasses. "All's well that ends well I suppose. As long as you don't overexert yourself, that wound shouldn't re-open." "You know I still have to save Harumi and probably fight several Shinigami to get to her?" Ahatake pointed out. Myōbu sighed. "I know. And, sadly, that falls under the category of 'overexertion'." "That is sad." Gaikou said. "This is taking too long." Then again, she was lazy. Or something like that. "Is there any way to save her quickly?" Ahatake looked at her blankly. "If I had money for the amount of concern that wasn't in your voice, I could probably post Harumi bail and still go buy a yacht." The boy sighed in exasperation. "No, 'quickly', while it would be preferable, isn't exactly an option." Mokin replied sadly. "We can't simply storm through Soul Society, mowing down anyone that gets in our way. Moving quietly and avoiding conflict at all costs is better." "Well, that's not fun." Gaikou crossed her arms. "This place reeks of death..." To be fair, Soul Society was considered the Realm of the Dead. "That's because your friend decided to take the exact opposite approach." Mokin sighed in exasperation. "Wherever she and Dohko go, I can feel spiritual energy dropping like flies." Ahatake frowned. "She's...not fond of Shinigami." Gaikou snapped back, "Damn right I don't. Those jackasses hunted my kind to extinction. What, did you expect me to extend a hand to 'em and say 'naw, we cool dudes'? Think reasonably here. I want a BIT of revenge." "I was referring to Kayla, but fair point." Ahatake placed a hand to his forehead in obvious exasperation. "I don't know what Dohko is doing, not controlling Kayla, but you, Gaikou, aren't about to go on a mass murder spree with all of us here to restrain you." "I think that Dohko is trying to be smart...." She paused. "...only to make himself look like a bigger idiot. I realized that the reason he dresses in that snazzy suit is to make himself appear almost sophisticated, when in reality he's the exact opposite." Ahatake smirked. "So, the same reason you wear those glasses then?" He asked, obviously playing with her. Gaikou snarked back, "Need I remind you, I am versed in many Quincy arts and knowledgeable of the history? Even though the quartet of us are what is considered "idiotic", I am by FAR the smartest." That...really wasn't something to be proud of. "Your knowledge in the art of the Quincy doesn't make you smart, if you lack knowledge in other fie-" Ahatake began, but Mokin but in between them. "Enough!" She snapped, glaring angrily at them both. "This discussion is pointless and wasting our precious time. If you both have the energy to bicker, we can begin heading towards the Senzaikyū, am I making myself clear!?" "Guh, fine." Gaikou hissed like a cat at Ahatake, obviously pissed. "We'll continue this discussion later, young man. When there's no talking chicken here..." "Oh shut up mom." He emphasized the last word, lampshading her strange parental way of speaking that she had obviously taken to mock them both. Mokin, on the other hand, simply looked annoyed. "All three of you, let's get moving." "Three of...oh right." Myōbu sighed. She already knew that if she didn't tag along with these three, he would never let her hear the end of it. "May as well." Gaikou snapped, "You're not part of our little group. Got that, Shinigami?" And yet, their "group" wasn't even established yet- she, Dohko, and Harumi had just started to crowd around Kayla and Ahatake as of recently. "You're aware of your hypocrisy, no?" Myōbu asked, looking at Gaikou from over the lens of her glasses. "You dislike me for being a Shinigami...and yet you travel with this boy, whose obviously a Shinigami." "Ahatake is different!" Gaikou snarled like a wild beast, back at the woman. "Though I don't know why....something's just different about him." "I'm...not sure if that's a compliment or an insult." Ahatake replied, confused. The conversation ended here as the group left the building, racing across the Seireitei, heading towards the Senzaikyū. "It really does tower over the Seireitei." Ahatake observed as Mokin flew over their heads. "You'd think a prison would be...less conspicuous?" "It seems that the Shinigami prefer flash over quality. Just like they always have..." Gaikou snarked; "The Quincy prisons...well, let's just say there weren't any." "No, they had camps instead." Myōbu snarked. It was obvious Gaikou had left a bad impression on the woman. Ahatake sighed. "Oh boy..." "Du denkst, das ist, eine mutterficken spiel?" Gaikou retorted in her normal accent. "Seriously though, let's just gloss over that one." "...Yeah, let's." Ahatake agreed, thoroughly confused as to how he'd even gotten mixed up with these girls. "We're getting close!" Mokin called down to them. "Unfortunately...we have company." Gaikou sighed. "Is it just me or do we have "company" a lot? Like, can we have a single hour to ourselves where we're not on the floor, passed out after getting our teeth kicked in?" "Yeah, I tend to notice that." Ahatake agreed. "We'll discuss obvious issues like these later though — if we have company, I suppose that makes us the hosts." He noted this sounded better in his head as they approaching a wide open area, the Senzaikyū looming ever larger. This, however, wasn't the focus. The focus was thaty of a young man dressed in the robes of a Shinigami, with slicked black hair and a bitter expression on his face. "That's....!" Myōbu gasped in surprise. "That's Toyotomi Kuchiki!" "Oh, great." Gaikou slumped. "Yet we have another dude wearing a full-body dress." She wasn't amused; at all. "Let's just get it over with." "So you're the Ryōka..." Toyotomi gave the group a once-over and his eyes rested on Myōbu. "I never would have expected to see one of our own working with the Ryōka...Captain Tamashi won't be happy to hear this." Myōbu avoided looking at Toyotomi. She quite clearly was shocked to be found out so soon, but wasn't about to oppose a Lieutenant. "Quiet?" He looked at her sharply. "I suppose that's fine. No excuse will pardon you here." "Oi!" Ahatake snapped. "Do us all a favor and shut up. Your voice is already getting on my nerves. So Gaikou, how do we decide who gets him?" Gaikou sighed, "You do it. I'm sick of fighting guys with oversized swords, who are obviously compensating for their small genital size, while also wearing full-body black dresses." "You certainly have a carefree partner." Toyotomi observed. "Don't even get me started." Ahatake replied, his hand on his blade. "I don't suppose you'll simply stand aside." "Of course not." Toyotomi drew his Zanpakutō, drawing the blade that shone in the light of the sun. Ahatake did the same, and both approached each other with blades drawn. "Dammit..." Mokin hissed to herself. "Another Lieutenant-class opponent in only a few days...dimwit, don't stress your wounds." Toyotomi looked over at Ahatake, dismissive as usual. "Ah, yet another bug I have to squash. This shall be over in a moment." "You'd be surprised the amount a bug can move when it's backed against the wall." Ahatake replied, and, without warning, expelled a wave of flames from his mouth towards Toyotomi, not giving the man proper time to react. Toyotomi vs. Ahatake Toyotomi vanished into the air, using Flash Step to ascend as he smirked. "You'll be surprised by what happens when I drop a ten tonne sword on a bug, boy!" Ahatake, however, quickly followed, leaping into the air with Shunpō, quickly making himself level with Toyotomi, swinging his blade diagonally down towards the man. Casually raising his blade, Toyotomi deflected Ahatake's strike. "And then, that bug shall feel the retribution of my family!"